Pistol type dart gun



June 8, 1943. J. J. GORA ETAL PISTOL TYPE, DART GUN Filed March 25, 1940aid-V il iiliii i a EII W INyENTORS.

62rd, j/4317161 4%,, Man ATTOR Patented June 8, 1943 l PISTOL TYPE DARTGUN John J. Gora, River Rouge, and Edward J. Wyrick,

Wyandotte, Mich, assignors to All Metal Products Company, Wyandotte,Mich, a corporation of Delaware Application March 25, 1940, Serial No.325,752

(Cl. 124l6) 5 Claims.

The present invention relates to toy guns and particularly relates to atype of toy guns adapted to shoot darts.

One of the primary objects of the present invention is to provide animproved gun of the type mentioned in which simple and improved meansare provided for keeping the dart from falling out of the gun when suchgun is loaded.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved means forcooperation with the dart in the loading or cooking of the gun by whichthe life of the gun is materially increased.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide an improved cuparrangement which is associated with the spring and in which the cup isengaged by the dart in loading the gun, instead of direct engagementwith the in-bent end of the spring by the dart as in priorconstructions, thereby eliminating breakage of such inbent end andmaterially increasing the life of the gun.

A more detailed object of the invention is to provide an improved washerconstruction at the point of the gun barrel which cooperates with thecup in holding the dart in the gun, when such gun is loaded, and whichalso serves as a guide for the dart as such dart leaves the gun.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved mounting forthe spring within the sheet metal casin in the form of a short tubealigned with the barrel formed by the casing, thereby efiecting economyof manufacture.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the followingspecification, the drawing relating thereto, and from the claimshereinafter set forth.

In the drawing, in which like numerals are used to designate like partsin the several views throughout:

Figure l is a longitudinal section, with parts in elevation,illustrating a, toy pistol embodying features of the present invention,and showing the elements of the structure in partially cocked or loadedposition;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating the elements when thespring is fully cocked and the dart is loaded for firing;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional View taken substantially along the line 4-4of Fig. 1; and, l

Fig. 5 is an elevational and cross-sectional View taken substantiallyalong the line 55 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, a toy gun construction is illustrated which isadapted to shoot darts indicated at it, The darts Ill may be of anydesired form and in the embodiment here illustrated comprise a stem ofuniform circular crosssection throughout their length with a suction cupattached to the leading end thereof. The gun casing comprises twocomplementary sheet metal halves generally indicated at l2 and l 4,which are shaped to simulate a pistol when the two halves are fixedtogether. The two halves are formed with inner engaging lugs It forsecuring the halves together, and the lugs on the top of the barrel maybe arranged to simulate the sights if desired. When the halves areassembled, they provide a cylindrical barrel portion I8 and a F frameportion 20, which, in the embodiment illustrated, are shaped to simulatesimilar portions of a revolver type pistol.

A member 22 is shaped in the form of a tube with a longitudinallyextending slot 24 provided at the bottom thereof and is disposed withinthe casing in the frame portion 28 thereof. Such member 22 is fixed tothe casing by means of outwardly disposed tabs 25 formed at the sides ofthe rear end thereof and an outwardly disposed tab 28 formed in the sideat one side of the front end thereof, such tabs extending throughcooperating openings formed in the adjacent walls of the casingsections. It will thus be seen that the member 22 may be readilyassembled in that the tab 28 and the tab 25 on the same side of themember 22 may be disposed through their corresponding openings in thesection it and the tab 26 will then project through its opening insection [4 when such section is assembled. V

In-struck tabs 30 are formed at the rear end of the member 22 for apurpose that will be described in detail hereinafter. The forward end ofmember 22 is aligned with the barrel portion It and, in efiect, forms acontinuation thereof.

A spiral spring 32 is disposed within the casing, is received within thetubular member 22 and is movable longitudinally of the barrel portionit.

The tip of the barrel portion of the gun is open, and a disc-shapedmember 3 3, having an inwardly flanged central opening 38 therethrough,is disposed within the barrel portion adjacent the open end thereof.Such member 34 may be fixed to the casing sections by means of outwardlyextending lugs 38 which project through cooperating openings formed inthe casing sections l2 and M at diametrically opposed points. The casingsections l2 and I4 are formed with inwardly struck tabs at at theforward end thereof which are adapted tobear against the forward surfaceend of spiral spring 32, with. the peripheral flange 44 abutting againstthe forwardmost convolution of spring 32.

As stated above, the structure of the present invention is adapted toshoot darts ill and the gun is loaded by inserting the shaft of the dartthrough the central opening 36. The inner end of the shaft thus seatswithin the cup-shaped member 42, as indicated in Fig. 1. As the dart ispressed into the gun, the sprin 32 is compressed due to the abuttingengagement of the flange 4 with the forwardmost convolution thereof. Thespring is thus compressed from the position shown in Fig. l to thatshown in Fig. 2, when the spring is entirely received within the tubularmember 22 with the innermost convolution of the spring abutting againstinbent tabs 30.

In order to releasably hold the spring in its loaded position until itis desired to shoot the gun, a trigger member 46 is provided, which ispivotally mounted on the inturned lugs 48 formed in casing section l2,as best shown in Fig. 4 which form a pivot for the trigger. The trigger46 includes a depending finger engaging portion 50 having a flange 52formed along the forward edge thereof. An upwardly extending projection54 is formed on the forward end of the trigger and such end isresiliently urged to its uppermost position about its pivot on thecasing by means of a spring wire 55. One end of the spring 55 bearsagainst the inside wall of easing section I2 and is trained over'tabs 58and 59 with the other end bearing against the flange 52 immediatelyabove an in-struck portion 60. The under edge of tab 58 and the top edgeof tab 59 are preferably slotted to receive the wire therein so as toprevent accidental displacement of the wire 55.

The top edge of the projection 54 is provided with a rounded frontcorner 62 with the back edge forming a shoulder 63. The top edge isqof alength greater than the distance between adjacent convolutions of thespring 32 when thespring is extended, so that such projecting end willnot project between the spring convolutions as the spring slidesthereover. The forward end of the trigger 48 is formed with oppositelydirected tabs 65 which are adapted to bear against the sides, the casingsections servin as guides which keep the trigger and projection 54 inproper alignment. I

When the spring 32 has been compressed to its fully loaded position, asshown in Fig. 2, the projection 62 extends upwardly through the slot 24,and the shoulder 63 engages the flange 44 of cup member 42.

The cup member 42 is thus tilted to the position shown in Fig. 2, and itwill be seen that the inner end of the shaft of dart i0 is resilientlyengaged by the cup 42 at points 64 and 56. The forward end of the shaftis pressed downwardly against the flange 38 of washer 34, as shown inFig. 2. It will thus be seen that the dart H3 is resiliently engaged bythe cup 42, due to the resilient action of the spring 32 thereon intilting the cup and in cooperation with the projection 54 of thetrigger. so that the dart l0 cannot fall out of the gun.

When, however, the trigger 46 is pulled, the projection 54 is disengagedfrom the cup 42 so that the cup is instantly righted with respect to thedart, and the dart is ejected from the gun through the action of spring32.

Formal changes may be made in the specific embodiment of the inventiondescribed without departing from the spirit and substance of theinvention, the scope of which is commensurate with the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a toy spring gun adapted for shooting darts, a sheet metal casingformed to simulate a gun having a barrel portion, a spring within saidcasing movable longitudinally of said barrel portion, means within saidcasing forming a seat for said spring, a cup-shaped member having aperipheral flange slidably disposed within said casing and engageablewith said spring, the construction and arrangement of said member withrespect to said spring being such that the base of said member isloosely received within the forward end of said spring and theperipheral flange abuts against the forward convolution of said springwhen said member is engaged by the dart to compress the spring to loadedposition, and means releasably engaging said flange at one point whensaid spring is loaded, to thereby tilt said cup-shaped member so thatsaid cup-shaped member resiliently bears against the shaft of said dartto keep said dart from falling out of said n.

2. In a toy spring gun adapted for shooting darts, a sheet metal casingformed to simulate a gun having a barrel portion, a spiral spring withinsaid casing movable longitudinally of said barrel portion, means withinsaid casing forming a seat for said spring, a cup-shaped member having aperipheral flange slidably disposed within said casing and engageablewith said spring, the construction and arrangement of said member withrespect to said spring being such that the base of said member isloosely received within the forward end of said spring and theperipheral flange abuts against the forward convolution of said springwhen said member is engaged by the dart to compress the spring to loadedposition, and a trigger member resiliently urged into releasableengagement with said flange when said spring is loaded, the constructionof said trigger member being such that said flange is engaged by saidtrigger member at one point to thereby tilt said cup-shaped member sothat said cup-shaped member resiliently bears against the shaft of saiddart to keep said dart from falling out of said 3. In a toy spring gunadapted for shooting darts, a sheet metal casing formed to simulate agun having a barrel portion and a frame portion, a tubular memberfixedly disposed within the frame portion of said casing, said tubularmember being aligned with said barrel portion and having a slot formedtherein, a spiral spring disposed-within said casing, said spiral springbeing received within said tubular member and movable longitudinally ofsaid barrel portion, a cup-shaped member having a peripheral flangeslidably disposed within said casing and engageable with said spring,the construction and arrangement of said cup-shaped member with respectto said spring being such that the base of said member is looselyreceived in the forward end of said spring and the peripheral flangeabuts against the forward convolution of said spring when said member isengaged by the dart to compress the spring to loaded position, and atrigger member having a portion which projects through the slot in saidtubular member and releasably engages said flange at one point when saidspring is loaded, to thereby tilt said cupshaped member so that saidcup-shaped member resiliently bears against the shaft of said dart tokeep said dart from falling out of said gun.

4. In a toy spring gun adapted for shooting darts, a sheet metal casingformed to simulate a gun having a barrel portion, a spiral springdisposed within said casing movable longitudinally of said barrelportion, means within said casing forming a seat for said spring, acup-shaped member having a peripheral flange slidably disposed withinsaid casing and engageable with said spring, the construction andarrangement of said member with respect to said spring being such thatthe base of said member is loosely received in the forward end of saidspring and the peripheral flange abuts against the forward convolutionof said spring when said member is engaged by the dart to compress thespring to loaded position, a disc-shaped member having a flanged centralopening therethrough fixedly secured within the barrel portion of saidcasing adjacent the tip of said gun, and a trigger member having aportion which releasably engages said flange at one point when saidspring is loaded, to thereby tilt said cup-shaped member so that saidcup-shaped member resiliently bears against the shaft of said dart andsaid dart bears against the flanged opening of said disc-shaped memberto keep said dart from falling out of said gun.

5. In a toy spring gun adapted for shooting darts, a sheet metal casingformed to simulate a gun having a barrel portion, a spring within saidcasing movable longitudinally of said barrel portion, means within saidcasing forming a seat for said spring, a cup-shaped member having a baseand having 'a projecting portion which projects outwardly beyond thewall of said member, said member being slidably disposed within saidcasing and engageable within said spring, means located adjacent thepoint of the barrel portion to align said dart with said member and toretain said member within the casing, the construction and arrangementof said member with respect to said spring being such that the base ofsaid member is received within the forward end of said spring and-theprojecting portion abuts against said spring when said member is engagedby the dart to compress the spring to loaded position, and meansreleasably engaging said member when said spring is loaded.

JOHN J. GORA. EDWARD J. WYRICK.

